Expert cautions on alarming increase of hypertension

Dr Ofori who spoke at 2014 healthy awareness campaign organised by Total EPNG for its host communities in Port Harcourt said hypertension is a silent killer, adding that creation of awareness on the danger of the diseases is the only way to control it.“Recent statistics revealed that about 57 million Nigerians are hypertensive. This figure […]

Dr Ofori who spoke at 2014 healthy awareness campaign organised by Total EPNG for its host communities in Port Harcourt said hypertension is a silent killer, adding that creation of awareness on the danger of the diseases is the only way to control it.
“Recent statistics revealed that about 57 million Nigerians are hypertensive. This figure is very alarming. The most worrisome is that youths are also affected by hypertension. I have a case where a 13 year old boy is hypertensive. This is how bad it has become. A lot of people don’t know that they are hypertensive and they are going about with it until they have complications. Hypertension is when the blood pressure is elevated above the normal. It is said to occur when the pressure is consistently higher than 140/ 90mmHg”
“Usually there is no symptoms if there is no complication. This is why hypertension is called a silent killer. Headaches are not synonymous with hypertension. Most people with headaches are not hypertensive and most people with hypertension do not have headaches. When symptoms develop, they are usually related to the complications of hypertension,” she stated.
Dr Ofori said essential hypertension is the commonest type seen which “accounts for over 90% of people with hypertension”.
She added, “Essential hypertension has no known cause and it accounts for over 90% of people with hypertension. It is usually genetic in origin. There is a greater tendency to develop this if your parents or siblings also have hypertension. Even though genetic, environmental factors could influence its earlier onset and severity. Secondary hypertension is caused by certain diseases of the body such as kidney and endocrine diseases.”
 She said hypertension could be diagnosed through regular blood pressure check stressing that “the disease could be treated by consuLting a Doctor, life style changes, such as weight loss, regular exercise, eating right and limiting alcohol intake.”
 Earlier the Deputy Managing Director, Port Harcourt District of Total EPNG Mr Nicolas Brunet said the health awareness campaign was in line with the company’s overall objective to ensure healthy living for staff and families as well as their host communities.
 Brunet who was represented by Total medical Director, Dr Charles Ngeregbara said this year’s health awareness campaign is focus on hypertension and Diabetes mellitus as a result of an on-going epidemic of “these non-communicable diseases in the developing world, including Nigeria”.
 “Today we bring to you a massage of hope based on change , change of values, change of habits and change of lifestyles in other to promote the over all wellness and health of our people. As a show of commitment to sustainable community health, we have planned this program to be held in other locations” he said.
 Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.